Combined stowage unit and seat



J 7, 1967 F. ROSENFELD ETAL 3,298,737

COMBINED STOWAGE UNIT AND SEAT Filed Aug. 16, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 JA/VE/VTUES. FREDERICK ROSEIVFELD 5y STEWART scans MART IN FA/IVBLA 7T J 1 1967 F. ROSENFELD ETAL 3,

COMBINEDSTOWAGE UNIT AND SEAT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 16, 196 5 z/vl/wroes. FREDERICK Ross/mew SEWART .S'CHOEN 5y MAxen/v FA W544 rr A rrom/em FlC3..8

United States Patent 3,298,737 COMBINED STOWAGE UNIT AND SEAT Frederick Rosenteld and Stewart Schoen, New York, and Martin Fainblatt, Great Neck, N.Y., assignors to Innovation Industries, Inc., a corporation of New York Filed Aug. 16, 1965, Ser. No. 479,921 1 Claim. (Cl. 297-192) The present invention relates to a new and improved combined stowage unit and seat.

In the past, many seating devices have combined collapsability into a carriable unit and in some instances, have also included additional space for the stowage of gear.

Such devices of the past have been complicated, heavy, expensive to manufacture, awkward in appearance and have usually been quite limited with relation to their size as to the amount of gear stowable.

According to the present invention, a very simple, inexpensive to manufacture, portable combined stowage unit and seat is provided with a comparatively large stowage area.

As can be seen by the drawing and description to follow, the device is admirably adapted for beach and picnic use.

Although such novel feature or features believed to be characteristic of the invention are pointed out in the claims, the invention and the manner in which it may be carried out, may be further understood by reference to the description following and the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is an isometric elevation of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an isometric elevation of one embodiment of the present invention with the back rest extended.

FIG. 3 is a view of FIG. 2 without any covering.

FIG. 4 is a partial view of FIG. 2 at lines 44.

FIG. 5 is a partial view of an embodiment of the present invention showing one form of back rest support.

FIG. 6 is a partial view of another embodiment of the present invention showing another back rest support.

FIG. 7 is a partial view of another embodiment of the present invention showing another back rest support.

FIG. 8 is a partial view of FIG. 2 at lines 88.

FIG. 9 is a partial view of FIG. 8 showing another fastening means.

FIG. 10 is a partial view showing an alternate form of attachnig the covering material.

Referring now to the figures in greater detail, where like reference numbers denote like parts in the various figures.

The combined stowage unit and seat 1 of the present invention comprises a frame 2 and a hinged back rest 3. The frame 2 is preferably of rigid tubing as illustrated, or of some easy to fabricate substance.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the frame 2 of the combined stowage unit and seat 1 is covered by a frame cover 4 and a back rest cover 5.

The frame cover 4, when placed over the frame, provides a hollow interior or container into which gear can be stowed for use at the beach, picnics, or for whatever the combined stowage unit and seat 1 is used.

By way of example, the hinges 6 attached to the crosspiece 7 are riveted to the side struts 8 of the back rest 3 encircling the crosspiece 7.

The back rest 3 is fairly freely moveable and gravity responsive so that when the combined stowage unit and seat 1 is stood on end as shown in FIG. 1, the back rest 3 falls freely to the side of the combined stowage unit and seat 1.

A handle 9 straddles the frame 2 so that the combined stowage unit and seat 1 may be easily carried and raised erect, closing the back rest 3 against the frame 2.

When used as a seat'the back rest 3 of the combined stowage unit and seat 1 must be adapted to support the back-leaning weight and pressure of the user. Optional support means are illustrated in the figures.

As shown in FIGS. 1-5, the back supports 10 extend from the hinges 7 and engage the frames 2 width support members 11.

In FIG. 6 a hinged back support 12 engages the longitudinal frame struts 13, 7, to limit its movement.

In FIG. 7 a fabric span 14 attached to the longitudinal frame struts 13 and back side struts 8 provides the movement limit backward to properly support the back rest 3.

The frame 2 as illustrated is appropriately stressed so that it can maintain the normal weight of a person sitting or reclining on the cover 4.

The cover 4 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 may be a pillowcase like sheath that is slidable over the frame 2 and which may be fastened to crosspiece 7 and lower crosspiece 15 with female snaps 16 engageable with male snaps 17 which are attached to the crosspieces 7, 15.

The back cover 5 may be sewn together over the struts 8 or as shown in phantom in FIG. 2, a pillow-like sheath cover 18 may be slipped over the back rest 3 and sewn at the bottom or snapped or intersnapped (not shown).

While it is preferable to provide removeable covers 4, 5, 18, the covers may be permanently aflixed. In FIG. 9 a cover to cover snap fastening 19 is shown which may also be used to hold the back cover 5 if desired.

In FIG. 10 an alternate removeable cover-attaching means is shown using a lace 20 through eyelets 21.

While the covers 4, 5 as shown are solid, they may be of woven plastic or cloth strips 22 as shown in phantom detail in FIG. 2,

The advantage of having removeable covers 4, 5 is that colors may be selectable to taste and the covers may be easily removed for cleaning after use.

In the combined stowage unit and seat 1 may be stuffed with picnic lunches or beach gear and conveniently carried by its handle 9. While a flap cover may be used (not shown because of the nature of the articles put in the combined stowage unit and seat 1) and the upright carriage by the handles 9, a flap cover does not seem of much importance.

Upon arrival at a destination, the articles in the combined stowage unit and seat 1, such as blankets, lunch, or towels, etc., may be removed and then a person may sit on the cover 4 and recline against the back rest 3.

' Upon departure when the handle 9 is grasped, the back rest 3 naturally falls into position as shown in FIG. 1, the combined stowage unit and seat 1 may be loaded and the combined stowage unit and seat 1 taken to the users destination.

While the combined stowage unit and seat 1 has been shown in a supported rigid hollow oblong form and the back rest 3 as a square, as a preferred embodiment, various shapes of parallel broad-surfaced geometric figures are believed within the scope of the present invention, though they have not been illustrated since the invention seems adequately set forth.

While limitations as to some phases of covering means would naturally apply, shapes such as non-square seat portions and non-square backs are contemplated.

The terms and expressions which are employed are used as terms of description; it is recognized, though, that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

Having thus described certain forms of the invention in some detail, what is claimed is:

A combined portable stowage unit and seat comprising a rigid three-dimensional frame having a section adapted for positioning on a ground surface and supporting the weight of a human being, cover means adapted to be positioned on the frame with the exception of one end thereof and defining a receptacle with an opening at said one end, the receptacle adapted to receive gear, handle means straddling said frame at the center thereof at the open end, a back rest pivotably connected along one frame side adjacent the open end, and support means limiting the rearward movement of the back rest whereby the stowage unit and seat may be carried by the handle means to a destination with gear within the receptacle and the back rest lying against the frame; upon reaching the destination the gear may be removed, the unit placed upon a desired surface, the back rest rotated to its rearward position, and the unit then being utilized as a seat.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 4 6/1906 Amann 297-378 X 5/1926 Lange et al 297380 X 11/ 1939 Milligan 2973 80 4/1941 Blake 297380 X 8/1943 Frei 297219 8/1944 McDo le 297192 X 8/1951 Newton et al 297-183 X 6/ 1958 Carlson 297-452 7/1958 Sweeney 297378 8/ 1960 Gibson 297-378 8/1961 Farver 297380 2/1964 Mintz 297192 8/1965 Krueger 297378 X FOREIGN PATENTS 10/ 1964 Czechoslovakia.

1/ 1964 France.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner. JAMES T. McCALL, Examiner. 

